Trickster's Treat
by Matkin22
Summary: Halloween Special 2009. Rey is on her way to a party, but something in the darkness is stalking her... Set one year after Final Challenge


**Hey guys, seeing how it's been a while since I wrote a "special", I thought I'd bring you one for Halloween. It's just a short little story, but I think it's worth the read (especially since it has Rey in it; hands up everyone who remembers her!) It's been so long that I used her as a character, I just couldn't resist. Newswise there's a new poll up in my profile, so go and vote if you like! I'm also the last person on the planet to get a Twitter account which I've also linked on my profile; I'll occassionally post some updates between chapters, so you can subscribe if you'd like to get those! I'm always looking for ways to connect with my readers. Anyways, I won't keep you since I know that you want to get on to the story. So enjoy. Oh, one more thing.**

**Happy Halloween.**

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It was dark. That was the thought that reverberated continuously through her mind as she trod softly along the forest path alone. Not even the moon could break free on this still, cloudless night. The silence pressing up against her eardrums was oppressive, and it was all she could do to prevent herself from breaking into a frenzied run that would lead only towards insanity.

The tension in the air was palpable. Her every sense was stretched to the limit as she fought to detect the presence of any other being. The tiniest rustle from the bushes and the faint sound of something wet and slimy sliding across bare rock to her right confirmed her worst suspicions.

She was not alone.

She swallowed, fighting back the fear as she continued moving forwards, her eyes darting from side to side and the sweat beading down her face as she forced herself on along the Buneary path, hoping to find a solid trail, a light, even a friendly face out in search of her.

Inwardly she cursed herself now for agreeing to come out to this remote location. She had wanted to refuse; she had wanted to stay home and train. But it was Alex's first Halloween, and May needed some cheering up, so she had agreed to meet her, Dawn, Brock, Max, and Harley for the party.

The snapping of a twig on her left brought her out of her dangerous reverie, and she whirled in fear. She did not know what beast it was that pursued her, but it was not alone. There was one on each side, and now her heart was beating so rapidly that her breaths came in little gasps. Her hands trembled as she reached down to feel the reassuring comfort of the small, round orb at her waist. She knew that in a straight fight there was little that she could not satisfactorily face, but in an ambush and outnumbered...

She swallowed her fear again and forced her reluctant feet to move again. Her muscles and tendons were clenched together so tightly that she walked in a comical stiff-legged motion, ready to break into a desperate sprint for sanctuary the moment that whatever trailed her burst from the cover of the bushes. The low, mournful hoot of a Honchkrow above her head caused her to let out a little yelp of fright as she jumped several feet into the air; her legs were already in motion when she identified the source of the sound, and so when she landed it was with a slight stumble as her legs tried to run, and her brain tried not to.

Holding her breath she again moved onwards, this time looking up as well as left and right. The slithering sound broke from amidst the bushes again, and she moved jerkily in response, trying to move more quickly while not giving in to her growing panic. The path narrowed as the trees crowded together a bit more closely; she followed the path as it curved through them and then the forest suddenly thinned and her heart gave a great leap as she saw several lights shining in the near distance and realized that they must be from May's rented cabin.

She spun around as a figure broke from the bushes to her left; two gleaming yellow eyes rimmed with gray moved quickly towards her in the darkness, a white light shooting through the air so dazzlingly that it nearly blinded her retinas.

"Crow... crow... crow..." it moaned; she twisted around, ready to run, and found herself looking straight into two wide, staring, blank blue eyes with yellow retinas.

"Shuppet."

With a scream she spun, fell, scrabbled for purchase in the dirt amongst the new fall litter, and tore away at a speed that would have shamed an Olympian, the terror in her voice fading only with distance. There was silence for a moment, and then two massive bursts of laughter broke out as two more figures stepped from the bushes, each one in hysterics with the successful results of their prank.

"I... I don't think I can remember the last time I laughed so hard," Brock chortled, his sides heaving with the effort of reining in the amusement.

"Did you see the look on her face? She really thought that we were two monsters out to kill her," Max giggled. It took several long moments for them to calm down enough to turn towards their Pokémon, Croagunk and Shuppet, and congratulate them before recalling them into their Pokéballs.

"I think it was the slithering that did it," Brock said, still grinning as they turned and began to move towards the distant cabin. "That was absolutely brilliant, filling up two bags with Swampert's Water Gun and then letting them pour slowly onto the rock while Croagunk slid his feet across the wet stone. No wonder she was so scared. I can't wait to see Rey's expression when she realizes it was us!" Max frowned.

"Well there's no need to keep doing it now," he said. "We've scared her; there's not going to be anyone else out here to prank."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Brock asked.

"Listen," Max said, coming to a halt and raising his arm. Brock stopped and waited. For a moment all was silent, and he was about to rebuke Max for his overacting imagination when he heard it too; a thick, dull scraping not unlike the sound his Croagunk had made on the rock.

"Recall it, won't you?" Max said impatiently.

"But I did," Brock said, confused, raising his hand to show Max the red and white ball on his palm. "Croagunk is in here."

"But then..." Max began. He didn't get to finish, for a strange pulsing blue light materialized over their heads and began to hover there, moving in slow, wide circles. They stared transfixed as it rotated above them until it suddenly swooped low, exploded, and a pair of blood red eyes burst towards them with a screech of "_Bayne!_"

Max and Brock ducked their heads, screamed, and began to sprint towards the cabin, their arms flailing over their heads in fear. A tall figure dressed all in green stepped from the bushes, a sly smile on his face as he watched them run.

"Nobody," he said, turning towards his grinning Banette in satisfaction, "out pranks Harley on Halloween. Nobody."

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**I hope you enjoyed that! Yeah, I know it was really just a generic Halloween story that's been done zillions of times before, but it was still fun to write. Apologies for the length too; it was written for a seasonal competition that had a 1000 word limit. As ever please review, and check out the poll and Twitter if you like!**


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